Blissful Remembrance
by SkyHaze Nightfall
Summary: When Tamaki lived in France, his best friend was a girl from a prominent family in Japan; however, she suddenly stopped visiting. Tamaki never knew why, but he had his hunch. Now Saffron has returned, and in the oddest place - Ouran Academy. What will be the outcome? (Note: I fail at summaries. There isn't enough character space, but I promise the story is better than it sounds.)
1. Unwanted Recollection

**A/N: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. I call claims only to my OC.**

**~'.'~'.'~'.'~'.'~**

"Tama-cha-a-a-an!"

The voice echoed in the fresh spring air. It carried a sound of excitement mixed with joy, giving it an altogether honey-sweet lilt. The boy in question glanced up, his lavender eyes shadowed by his gleaming blonde hair. He had little time to prepare himself for the little girl's body as it made rough contact with his seven-year-old frame. They both went sprawling across the grassy hill, her laughing and him grunting from the impact.

When they finally stopped rolling, he remained sprawled out on the ground, his eyes glued to the azure sky. It appeared to be endless, that wide expanse of blue. Almost like the ocean.

A few pigeons took flight from a nearby tree, fluttering across his vision.

_I wonder ... What would it be like to fly?_

His thoughts were abruptly cut off as a face separated his gaze from the sky. A small finger reached out and poked into his cheek.

"Tama-cha-a-an ...! How long are you going to lay there like a lazy bone? Mama and Papa said that we're leaving tomorrow, so stop being boring!"

A perfect blonde eyebrow arched upward just as perfectly. A small smirk crossed his face. He suddenly reached up and gripped the girl's porcelain-colored face in his hands, pressed his knees against her waist, and rolled both of them until he had an arm around her neck and a fist grinding into her hair.

"Ow, ow, ow-w-w!" Tama-cha-a-an! No, stop it, Tomo!"

"Admit it! Admit I'm fun! Say it!"

"Fine, fine! You're the funnest!"

Tamaki grinned and released the girl, before nudging her onto her side. He immediately jumped up and took off, laughing as he did so.

"You're it!" he shouted.

The sound of frustration that thrummed behind him caused him to cast a glance over his shoulder at Saffron. She was clambering to her feet, her blue-and-white sundress marred by grass and dirt stains, and her beautiful chestnut locks were undone and flouncing around her cherub face. When her odd-colored eyes - one purple, one blue - met his, he cast her a blooming smile.

And everything was perfect.

**~'.'~'.'~'.'~'.'~**

"So whatever happened to Saffron-chan, Tamaki-Senpai?"

Pulling from his reverie, Tamaki blinked, having completely forgotten that he had been telling the story to the ladies in his section. The entire music room had gone quiet, simply due to their captivation in his tale.

Shifting from his thoughtful position, he crossed one leg leisurely over the other and leaned forward on the expensive couch.

"Her family continued to visit my mother and me for the next several years, but eventually they had to ... Or, well, they simply stopped. I haven't seen nor spoken to, or even heard anything, about her since I was twelve," he finished, a contemplative look on his face. "Come to think of it, her family lived here in the Bunkyo District ... Maybe I could look into her families' business and see how they're doing.

The girls swooned at the thought, large hearts swirling around them, as they cupped their cheeks and wriggled in their seats. "Oh, how romantic! To be reunited with your long-lost, childhood best friend!" they cried, practically tearing up at the thought.

"Now, don't cry, my lovelies. Although my tale is a sad one, I am unworthy of your tears. So please ... Save them for someone who deserves them far more than I - my humble, meager self - do," he said desolately, topping the entire claim off with a dastardly flip of his hair that caused the girls to cry out in a star-struck manner.

In truth, he _did_ wish to see Saffron again, if only to see how the pretty girl from his past had fared. No doubt she was beautiful, intelligent, rich, and already engaged to another prominent families' heir.

A twinge of homesickness struck him deeply in the chest. Oh, how he longed to return to those times - the simpler times of his childhood, when he lived in France - when he played in the fields with Saffron.

When he knew where his mother was.

Glancing up from his hands, he studied the people in Music Room Three. Not the women, but instead the other Hosts. Mori-Senpai, standing tall and cool above everyone else in the room, with sweet little Honey-Senpai wrapped around his shoulders; Kyoy-Senpai, silent and clacking away at his computer; the miserable Hiatchiin brothers, undoubtedly up to no good, as usual.

And finally Haruhi.

Ever since the day that he was going to leave with Eclair and marry her - and hopefully find his mother in the process - things had been different between the two of them. He found it more and more difficult to remain calm and composed around his precious daughter. Instead, he would catch himself gazing at her, his heart beating quickly in his chest, and his hands sweating in their palms.

Of course she made him nervous! She was his beautiful daughter after all!

... Right?

A small smile quirked up the corners of his lips.

No ... He didn't want to go back to those times. He was perfectly happy ...

Just where he was.

**~'.'~'.'~'.'~'.'~**

"Do I _have_ to go, mother?"

"We've already discussed this dear. In order to get into a respectable university, you must attend and equally respectable high school. I understand that you will be transferring in late in the term, and I also understand that you will only know the few children of your father's colleagues that are attending the school, but you must look towards the future when it involves these matters. Your father and I are simply looking out for your best interests, darling," her mother chattered, waving her hand flippantly, as though her daughter's question was the most amusing joke she had heard in years.

Turning her gaze out the window, Saffron murmured a soft, "Yes, mother ..." her hands twisting in her lap as the large, pink-hued clock tower came into view.

**~'.'~'.'~'.'~'.'~**

"On behalf of the Ouran alumni, I would like to welcome you to our lovely school. Class 2-A Representative Kyoya Ootori and Vice-Rep Ayame Jounouchi will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have, seeing as your placement will be in their room."

Saffron turned her gaze from the window over the Vice-principal's shoulder, she focused on the elderly man. Zennosuke Kazama was his name, and he was second-in-command to whoever it was that was the actual Headmaster of the establishment. Although she had already done so, Saffron bowed forward again, her long hair tumbling over her shoulders.

"Thank you very much, Sensei-Kazama. I plan to adjust well to the change in settings," she said softly as she straightened. The man nodded in response and glanced over her shoulder, his glasses glinting as he moved. "Ah, Ootori-kun and Jounouchi-kun - how nice of you two to arrive. Just in time, too - I was just explaining to Miss Anzai that you would be more than happy to assist her with any problems that may arise."

Turning sideways where she stood, Saffron angled her face towards the pair, bowing respectfully towards the both of them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said softly, straightening as she spoke. Her gaze discreetly studied the two, so as not to appear to be staring, and a heavy silence permeated the air. Finally, the boy stepped forward and bowed, the girl beside him taking this as her que to also bow.

"The pleasure is all ours, Miss Anzai," his cool voice uttered. There was no warmth in his inflection, nor his gaze, but a small smile was on his lips. All of this was clearly for show in front of the Vice-Principal, and she felt herself grow slightly defensive. "If you'll follow us, we'll show you to our classroom, and then to the dorms that you will be living in for the duration of your stay here at Ouran. Welcome to our lovely academy."

_Likewise ... Shadow King._


	2. Lonely Hearts

**D/C: I do not own any of this, only the alternate plot and my OC.**

**A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you for swinging in and checking out my story - I didn't get the chance to say that in the previous chapter. I really hope you enjoy this! I try my best not to make the chapters so long that you grow bored, but so short that you're irritated with the abruptness. Follow, Favorite, Review - Whatever! Reviews keep me confident about my skills, and helps me to better myself as a writer. K? K :D I'll get on with the story.**

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_**Saffron POV**_

It had been only one day since she had arrived at Ouran. The Vice-Principal - in all his flamboyancy - had given her the day to settle into her room and explore the campus, due to her family living a good distance away. Clearly he was under orders to ensure her happiness, undoubtedly caused by her father's 'generous' donation to the school, the prestigious air of her family, and her 4.0 GPA. Not that she could blame them; honestly, if she were in their position, she would undoubtedly do the same.

Glancing up from her sketchbook, she turned her gaze out the window beside her, having perched herself onto its inside ledge.

Starting tomorrow, she would attend classes at the academy. While her mother had been correct in assuming that she knew a few of the students due to her father's connections, it wasn't as though she could really call any of those children 'friends'. To be completely honest, she'd never really _had_ friends - at least, not for the past 4 years. After her parents had told her that she could never visit, or even speak to, Tamaki Suoh again, she had considered it pointless to grow close to others in an attempt to gain their friendship. Why should she, when all it would gain her was pain? She did, of course, know that the current Headmaster of the academy was Tamaki's father, but last she had checked, he had only ever visited Tamaki in France, seeing as he was illegitimate and lived with his mother. Her father and his had attended college together, and that was how she had met Tamaki in the first place.

A stab of loneliness radiated throughout her heart, and it wasn't a loneliness that would be vanquished by just anyone, but instead only Tamaki.

_Two more years ... And then you can find him. Just ... Two more._

An echo of footsteps invaded the quiet hallway, jerking her from her thoughts. She banished the sorrowful emotions from her heart and plastered a blank look on her face, just as a voice joined the tapping of shoes-on-tile. Turning her face from the window, she looked down the hall, her eyes keying onto two boys as they rounded the corner, one of which seemed to be a small child.

_What is a child doing in a high school?_

The small boy stopped rattling about cake when the two noticed her sitting there. A tap on the older boy's head caused him to slow, the small, blonde cherub peering down at her. After several heartbeats he spoke, his voice sweet like maple syrup - the type of voice that caused a warm, happy feeling to spread throughout your chest.

"Hello there," he said, seemingly hesitant. The hesitation quickly vanished as he bloomed into a bright smile, causing her to blink - _perhaps she had mistaken the look? - _ as he scuttled down the taller boy's back. "You must be the new girl we've heard about. My name's Mitsukuni Haninozuka, but you can just call me Honey. This is Takashi Morinozuka, but you can call him Mori." When his introduction gained him a continuous blank stare, he moved closer to her, a stuffed bunny clutched in his arms. "So what's your name, miss?"

After a few more beats of blank staring, during which he began to squirm nervously, she finally murmured, "Saffron Anzai."

The boy's face lit up immediately, his feet bringing him closer as he took her response as an invitation, much to her chagrin.

"What'cha drawing?" he asked, blinking up at her. When she didn't answer, he tried again to gain a response. "We're third years. You're a 2nd year, right?" When she simply nodded in answer, he moved and hopped up onto the ledge beside her, causing her to stiffen. "That means that you're the same age as Tama-chan and Kyo-chan! Which class are you in?"

Glancing up from her drawing again, she sighed and closed her sketchpad, slipping her charcoals back into their box. Saffron turned so that she was sitting with her legs over the ledge, raising a brow at the silent boy who still stood. When a motion for him to join them gained her no response, she shrugged and focused her attention on Honey.

"I'm in class 2-A. My father is colleagues with Kyoya Ootori's father, so I've known him since we were little. We've never really been close, though. As for this 'Tama-chan' of yours, I have yet to meet him, seeing as I don't begin classes until tomorrow."

Honey kicked his feet back and forth for a few moments,a thoughtful look on his face. Finally, he jumped down and stood by Mori-Senpai.

"Well, we'd better get going. But here-" he fished something out of his pocket, "-Come by here tomorrow after classes end." When a cautious look entered her gaze and she opened her mouth to argue, he took her hand and slid the paper into it. "Just trust us, okay?" he said softly. She glanced up at Mori-Senpai, who gave a small nod, before returning her gaze to Honey-Senpai and copying the silent figure's motion. The small boy instantly brightened and took Mori-Senpai's hand. "We'll see you later than, okay? Let's go, Takashi!"

And with that, they both disappeared, leaving her to her thoughts.


	3. The Start of a New LifeThe Beginning

**D/C: ****I do not own any of this, only the alternate plot and my OC.**

**A/N: Welcome one and all to chapter 3! Thank you to everyone who has favorite, followed, and reviewed! Spread the word about my story please? ... Pretty please? ... No? ... Aw, alright ... But thanks for reading! Enjoy!**

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"Here you two go."

The sound of plates clattering on the table before them caused the two children to jump guiltily and blush, interrupted in the middle of telling secrets.

"_Merci_, _mama_," came Tomo's embarrassed voice. He spun in his chair to face the sweets that his beloved mother had made them, which consisted of a spongy vanilla cake, whipped cream, fresh strawberries, a drizzle of sticky strawberry sauce, and flakes of coconut. Saffron's mouth watered at the sight of them, alongside the sugary strawberry sodas that rested beside the plates. Lifting her hand, she poke the ice in the glass with her index finger, causing it to dip and bob up and down with a soft clinking sound.

"Stop playing with the pop, _ma moitié_!"

Startled, Saffron turned her head and focused her gaze on Tomo, blinking at him. "Hah?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. She hadn't been paying any attention what-so-ever to her best friend, but instead had been entirely focused on the sugary deliciousness of the food before her. A silly grin crossed Tamaki's lips. He promptly stuck his tongue out at her.

"I called you _ma moitié_, you _baka_!" he snickered, forking up a chunk of cake.

A pout crossed Saffron's lips. After several moments of intense staring at him, she finally turned back to the dessert, prodding at it with her fork. It was a few minutes later when she tore off a chunk with the eating utensil and slipped it between her lips, humming as the flavors exploded and danced across her tongue. Flicking a glance over at Tamaki, she noticed the smear of whipped cream across his perfect face, and the way that his mother fussed over his very breath - how perfect their relationship was.

Returning her gaze to the cake, she studied how perfectly shaped it was, the sound of _Misu_ Anne-Sophie fluttering over Tamaki resonating in the room. Another poke of her fork to the dessert caused it to dip before bouncing back into shape.

Perfectly.

Her eyes moved upwards to the bright sky, and the one thought that flitted across her mind was simple, and yet ... It was special.

Everything ... Was perfect.

**~'.'~'.'~'.'~'.'~**

"Welcome to Ouran Academy, Miss Anzai. I will be your teacher, but as per custom, I would prefer for you to call me Sensei or teacher. I'm expecting great things from you in my class."

Saffron bowed forward at the waist for a moment, before straightening and locking a dull gaze on the woman who stood before her. "It's a pleasure to be of your acquaintance, ma'am. I promise to do my best to meet your expectations."

Despite the bored expression she wore, her heart was racing in her chest. It was rare for her to begin at a new school - she had only done so once before, when she had transferred middle schools at the age of thirteen - so she was fairly unprepared for whatever could possibly follow her introduction to the teacher. Would she be expected to introduce herself to her peers? Or would she simply join them as soon as she entered the room? Was she supposed to have a speech readied? If so, she was out of luck in that department, seeing as she hadn't prepared one and was an utter failure at improvisation.

Dozens of thoughts were flitting through her mind - so many that her head began a gentle throbbing. Pressing the heel of her palm just above her upper eyelid, she tightened her lips.

What if her new classmates didn't like her? What if, like at her previous schools, they were to take an instant disliking to her - so much so that they would bully her? It was inevitable that their forms of bullying would be far more impressive than those of the middle school students who had tortured her, seeing as these were high school students. What if them bothering her interfered with her studies?

What if she failed her mother and father?

Saffron visibly blanched at the thought, pausing mid-step as her new teacher stopped outside of a door. Clearly this was their classroom - how was she supposed to remember where it was, when the academy was so _gargantuan? _The teacher told her that she was to wait outside of the classroom until she had informed the classroom of her transfer, upon which notification she would enter and introduce herself. A small nod later and the teacher was gone, leaving Saffron to her agonizing thoughts.

Despite the fact that she was so immensely afraid, she couldn't help but appreciate the beauty and grandeur of the academy itself. While it was large, it was very well taken care of, and the floor shined so cleanly that she could clearly see her reflection in its surface. The chirping of the birds outside of the windows caused her to glance up, the bright sunlight shining through and illuminating the hallway she was in. A few steps later and she was at one of those impressive windows, leaning forward and peering outside, down at the beautiful gardens below. Perhaps later she would take a walk in them.

It was several minutes later when the teacher finally called over for her to enter, and a few more moments ticked by before she had summoned the courage to start the short - yet seemingly immense - walk to the front desk of the room. When she reached it, she paused beside the teacher and turned slowly, her face flushed and her long hair feeling hot and heavy down her back. She quickly bowed forward so as to hide her nervous state.

Once she felt a bit more composed, she straightened. At the urging of the teacher - she believed her name to be Sensei-Kutaron - she took a step forward to introduce herself.

"Hello. My name is ... Saffron Anzai. My father is the founder and CEO of Anzai Pharmaceuticals, which is in a partnership with the Ootori Family. My mother is the CEO of _Assez Bijoux,_ the prominent jewelry company whose main location is in Paris, France. It's a pleasure to meet all of you," she said softly, bowing forward once more. When she had straightened, she looked at the teacher, who motioned for her to take her seat near the back window.

As she walked down the aisle, she kept her face lowered demurely towards the ground, pretending to be absorbed in the tiles below her shoes. When she finally reached her seat, she slid into it and placed her bag on the floor beside the desk, taking note of Kyoya Ootori's presence beside her. Kutaron left no time for anyone to talk, but instead dove immediately into the lesson for that class - Lewis Structure's.

**~'.'~'.'~'.'~'.'~**

"So if your mother's business is stationed in France, and your father's is in Japan, than where are you from, Anzai-chan?"

Saffron looked up from her notebook and focused on the girl who had asked the question, a petite blonde with large blue eyes and a porcelain face.

"My mother was born in France and my father Japan. I was born in Japan, but I have dual-citizenship in both countries, due to my mother's family residing in Paris."

Another girl leaned forward, her brown hair trailing on Saffron's desk as she placed her hands on it. "Do you have any siblings, Anzai-chan?"

"No, I'm an only child."

"What's your favorite color?"

"Blue."

"I really like your eyes! They're so cool!"

"I have a condition named Heterochromia, which causes the pigments in my eyes to take on different hues from one another. I actually have a disorder named Synesthesia due to my purple eye being a bit weaker than my blue one, and have to put eye drops in it, seeing as it's extremely sensitive."

The questions were endless, and seemed to last for hours on end, until finally a voice broke through them. It was hesitant at first, and cracked a bit as it intruded.

"... _Ma moitié _...?"

The people surrounding her glanced up and beamed at whoever it was that had spoke, while Saffron went still.

Only one person, in the entirety of her life, had ever referred to her as _'My Other Half_'.

"Suoh-chan! Where have you been? You missed the first class of the day, and the introduction of the new student!" one of the boys said eagerly, oblivious to the pale face of said new student.

The sea of teenagers around her desk parted, revealing a very tall and very blonde young man.

"I ... Was at an appointment ..." he said slowly, as though he was having difficulty forming coherent words. His eyes were locked on Saffron's, who's had gone wide with disbelief.

"Why would you need to-" the boy began, but was abruptly cut off by the shocked voice of the girl beside him, who was slowly rising from her seat.

"T ... Tomo?" she whispered, voice breaking a bit with emotion.

In a split second Tamaki had closed the distance, stopping only when they were toe-to-toe. He stared down at her, and after a few moments, his hands slowly lifted to grip her upper arms.

"_Est-ce ... Vraiment vous ...? Non ... Il ne peut pas être ..._"

Oblivious to the confused stares around them, for only she and Tamaki spoke fluent french _and_ knew why they were acting in such a manner, Saffron felt her lower lip begin to tremble, hot tears welling up and pooling in her eyes.

"Tomo ... How is it ... This isn't ... It can't be," she whispered, lifting her hand to gently press its palm against his cheek. When her skin met actual flesh, it was then that she knew:

He was real.

It was as though the touch had melted him, or that he had come to the exact same realization when she did. With a laugh, she threw her arms around his neck, and he joined in her merriment, spinning her in several full circles before finally stopping and grasping her hands between both of his.

"What are you doing here? Did you know I was here? How have you been? What have you been doing these past four years? Why did you stop coming to visit? Do you know what's happened to me? Did you know my father was in charge of the school?" He paused to suck in a deep breath and study her for a moment, before breathing out, "You're so beautiful, Saffron. And you aren't wearing those commoner's clothes anymore," he gently teased.

Sticking her tongue out at him, she pulled her hands from his grasp and crossed her arms. "I'll have you know that I've always been very pretty!" she joked, smiling up at him. "_And_ that those clothes are _extremely _comfortable, so you can't judge me too harshly, _Tomo_," she emphasized. She had, of course, donned the disgustingly yellow and stifling hot dress that was the uniform for the girls of the academy - although it had been put on after much deliberation - that morning, despite her yearning to wear something far more comfortable. A pair of overalls and a t-shirt would have fancied her just as well, and would have been far cooler and less itchy than the dress.

To be honest, she felt like a banana.

When a throat was very obviously cleared, Saffron was jerked back to attention, her eyes blinking as she took in the people around them. Immediately a blush rose to her cheeks, causing her to duck her head.

"Ahm ... Suoh-chan, could you please explain to us what exactly is going on here?" asked the petite blonde girl from before, her confused expression mirroring those around her.

Tamaki lifted his head from his studying of Saffron's features, a smile very clear and present on his face. "Well, my little princess ... This girl is a long-lost childhood friend of mine from when I lived in France with my mother. I haven't seen her in several years, so when I saw her, I couldn't contain my emotions," he explained, his eyes seeming to water as he spoke. He swiped a hand across them, ridding them of their tears, before turning back to face her, his hands capturing her own once more.

"Saffron, will you please join me in Music Room Three after school today? After that, I wish to take you to dinner, so that we can catch up and reminisce. Will you?"

Turning her face up and towards his once more, she beamed into a smile. "Of course! But I've already been invited to Music Room Three, so I'm afraid that you'll have to share me," she teased. His joy visibly dimmed before being replaced by confusion.

"Who ... Invited you?"

Tilting her head to the side, she thought over the events of the day before, before finally managing to bring forth the names of the two boys that she had spoken to.

"They said that their names were Honey-Senpai and Mori-Senpai. Do you know them?" she asked.

Tamaki straightened, a soft smile on his lips. "Of course I do; they're two of my closest friends. As is Kyoya Ootori," he said, motioning towards Kyoya.

Saffron flickered a glanced to Kyoya before returning her eyes to Tamaki. "I already know Kyoya - I have for several years. Our fathers are colleagues and business partners."

Tamaki's smile grew and he almost jumped with his excitement. "Good, good! Than not very many introductions will need to be made! Promise me you'll come after school today?"

His joy and enthusiasm contagious, Saffron smiled brightly up at him. "I promise."

And with that, her introduction to Ouran Academy and Tamaki's group of friends was complete.

Or so she thought.


	4. Rose Petals

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to update everyone! I've been busy with school (#SevereSenioritis), and probably won't be able to update after chapter five until school ends on June 5th. Thank you everyone for being loyal readers, and thank you for the fabulous reviews!**

**D/C: I do not own OHSHC. I call claims only to the plot and the character of Saffron.**

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The rest of the school day passed by extremely slowly, almost at a snail's pace. Her joy and excitement had her casting periodic glanced at the clock, which ticked by more slowly with each look. She spent the day getting to know her new classmates and reconnecting with Tamaki, who sat in the desk behind her, while also paying curt attention to the lessons. She had all but two classes with Tamaki, enabling them to reminisce and share stories with their peers.

"I remember this one time when Tamaki decided that we needed to go on an adventure, and he-"

"Saffron, not _that_ story!" he whimpered from his place behind her. She easily ignored him and continued, as though he hadn't spoken at all.

"He wrote the map himself and did what those two children, Hansel and Gretel, did by leaving a trail of bread crumbs behind us. Needless to say, we ended up lost by some waterfall in the middle of a forest. It's a good thing that his mother relatively knew where we had gone and told my parents, otherwise who knows what could have happened," she laughed. A joining of chuckles followed and she turned her smile on her friend, who was sulking in a corner of the room. "Aw, Tomo - stop pouting. You've already shared more embarrassing stories of me," she pointed out.

The bell tolled before he could respond, signaling the end of the school day. As she gathered her books and slipped them into her bag, she glimpsed a pair of shoes beside her and lifted her head, finding herself met by Tamaki's sparkling purple eyes and a long finger pointed towards her nose.

"You promised to come to Music Room Three, remember? Don't forget!" he cheered, practically skipping from the room before she could reply.

Chuckling lightly to herself, she rose form her desk and grabbed her bag. It was fashioned into a satchel, seeing as it had one strap, so she slung it over her shoulder and glanced at the clock. Figuring she had more than enough time to chance and find the music room, she strode from the classroom, the image of comfortable, non-banana clothes at the front of her mind.

**~'.'~'.'~'.'~'.'~**

"I'm telling you guys - you're going to love her! Not only is she smart, but she's beautiful, too!"

"I don't know. Don't you think you might be over-romanticizing her, Boss?" the twins chorused, bored expressions on their faces and their hands shrugged up into the air.

His face turning visibly red, Tamaki whipped a long finger in their direction.

"How dare you insinuate that my sister is anything less than perfect!" he fumed, his finger shaking slightly in the air.

The twins rolled their eyes and ignored his enraged state once again shrugging, although with a bit more innocence thrown in.

"We were just trying to say that you might be bringing up our expectations, only for us to be disappointed," they explained simultaneously. This only sent Tamaki into another rage-filled monologue, the most common insults slipping from his lips being something along the lines of, _'supporting cast'_ and _'familial bonds'_. The twins continued to ignore him, simply because they had directed their attention to Haruhi, who retained her bland expression.

"Tama-chan really like Saff-chan, doesn't he, Takashi?" Honey, licking a sucker, asked his taller, darker companion.

Takashi made a small sound of agreement and nodded his head. When he didn't do anything more, Honey turned his gaze up to him.

"You're thinking about her, aren't you, Takashi?" he asked quietly. Takashi paused for a moment before lightly dropping his hand on Honey's head.

"You worry too much," he rumbled, his quiet yet deep voice gently chastising. Honey frowned and climbed up onto his shoulders.

"You know, if you think she's pretty, it's okay for you to like her. You can't let what happened ruin your future relationships," Honey said softly.

Takashi made no immediate visible reaction to Honey's words, but instead reached up and removed the smaller boy from his shoulders after several moments had ticked by. He sat him back down on the couch and rose, leaving the room with a small, "Excuse me." Tamaki paused in his ranting and the twins stopped their tormenting of Haruhi, everyone fixated on the doors that the gentle giant had disappeared through.

"Hey Honey ... Is Mori-Senpai okay?" Kaoru asked hesitantly, releasing Haruhi completely.

"Yeah ... Did something happen?" came Hikaru's continuation.

Honey was quiet for a while, staring after Takashi. Tamaki approached him, his hands in his pockets.

"Honey?" he asked gently.

Finally the older blonde looked up, clutching his bun-bun to his chest.

"It's a really long story, but I can tell you the shortened version if you'd like," he spoke quietly.

Each of the remaining host members chose a spot on one of the surrounding couches, Haruhi retreating to make more instant coffee.

"We're listening, Honey-Senpai," Tamaki said, motioning for him to begin.

**~'.'~'.'~'.'~'.'~**

"Music Room Three ..." Muttering softly to herself, Saffron looked up from the slip of paper she held, which held those three words scrawled neatly and surrounded by bunnies. Stifling an uncertain sigh, she approached the door and wrapped her fingers around the handle. Instantly her palm felt damp as a nervous sweat broke out across her skin.

Could she really do this? While she had missed Tomo terribly, they had only just reunited. Who was to say that he hadn't changed for the worse, instead for the better. She knew for a fact that she, at least, had changed tremendously. Besides that, she didn't know -or at least know very well - anyone who was in the room that she was about to enter.

After several long moments of some inner arguments - during which she received various odd looks by numerous students walking by - she bucked herself up and visibly changed into a more courageous state.

"Well, here goes nothing," she breathed out, yanking open the door.

Only to be assaulted by a wave of rose petals.

Slamming the door shut, she blinked. Peeking it open again, she slowly opened it wider, believing she was safe.

Only to have a rather large petal slip between her lips and lodge itself in her throat.

Gagging, she waved her hand in front of her face. After several long moments of choking, she managed to free the petal from her windpipe and spit it out. During this time, the door had slid shut on it's own, leaving her weary of opening it once again.

"Just what kind of room is this?" she muttered.

With another heavy sigh, her hand reached out and wrenched the door open once more, at the same time moving her body to dart behind said door. The flurry of rose petals missed her, causing her to laugh aloud.

"In your face rose petals!" Turning back towards the doors, she smirked. However, she had spoken too soon, for as soon as she revealed her body, a single rose petal smacked directly between her eyes. It remained their for a moment before slowly falling from her face, a dark scowl on her lips. Muttering foul words under her breath, she entered the room. When she finally looked up, she keyed in on the fact that there were six young men sitting in the room, three of whom she knew, or at least recognized.

And all of them were staring at her.

"Tomo?"


End file.
